​BALTIMORE (March 10, 2021) – This month, BGE is awarding $270,000 in BGE Emergency Response and Safety Grants to 73 area nonprofit organizations. The grant recipients are located throughout the BGE service area in nine Maryland counties and Baltimore City. First responders are our customers and our neighbors, and they risk their lives every day, particularly during the current pandemic. The economic need for our community during the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis continues to increase, making these grants more important than ever before.

"First responders play a critical role in our communities and it is our pleasure to help support them in their selfless mission," said Rodney Oddoye, BGE senior vice president of governmental and external affairs. "At BGE, there is nothing more important than the safety of our employees and customers, and we are grateful for the partnerships we have with community organizations that share our commitment to safety."

BGE's Emergency Response and Safety Grants program, now in its tenth year, supports area nonprofits by providing strategic funding that enables the success of their emergency response and safety programs.  Some of this year's grants will assist agencies in purchasing vital equipment, such as defibrillators, ice rescue equipment, and funding for emergency preparedness drills and active shooter training. Over the last nine years, BGE's program has provided over $2.5 million to 470 nonprofit organizations who share BGE's commitment to the safety of central Maryland residents. 

The following organizations were awarded BGE Emergency Response and Safety Grants this year:

Anne Arundel County:

• Anne Arundel Alarmers Association Inc.- equipment update
• Anne Arundel County and Annapolis Community Emergency Response Team- First Aid CPR/AED training and response
• Arnold Volunteer Fire Department -emergency vehicle response upgrade
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County- emergency preparedness and training
• Odenton Volunteer Fire Company- first responder virtual training/collaboration tool
• Rebuilding Together Anne Arundel County- home renovation for at-risk populations
• St. John's College- Alertus project

 Baltimore City:

• Baltimore Urban Leadership Foundation- emergency preparedness/Baltimore Resiliency Hub
• Breath of God Lutheran Church- emergency preparedness/Baltimore Resiliency Hub
• City of Refuge Baltimore Inc.- emergency preparedness/Baltimore Resiliency Hub
• First Mount Calvary Baptist Church- emergency preparedness/Baltimore Resiliency Hub
• Greater Baybrook Alliance- Brighten Up Baybrook program
• Lake Roland Nature Council- EMS extraction equipment
• LeadersLink - Community Organizations Active in Disaster (COAD)
• Moveable Feast Inc.- emergency boxes
• NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore Inc.- crisis intervention training for Baltimore area police
• Stillmeadow Community Fellowship Evangelical Free Church-emergency preparedness/Baltimore Resiliency Hub
• The Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture Inc.- flood door
• Zion Deliverance Center- emergency public health and safety response

 Baltimore County:

• Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department- equipment upgrade
• Baltimore County Police Foundation- crash scene reconstruction and safety enhancement
• Chestnut Ridge Volunteer Fire Company- enhanced toxic gas measurement equipment
• Cockeysville Volunteer Fire Company- fire equipment
• Community College of Baltimore County- wellness center readiness
• Community Volunteer Fire Department of Bowleys Quarters & Vicinity Inc.-fire boat communications upgrade
• Glyndon Volunteer Fire Department- upgrades to personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Hereford Volunteer Fire Company- thermal imaging camera
• Jacksonville Volunteer Fire Company- litter wheel
• Kingsville Volunteer Fire Company- water tank hydraulic pump replacement
• Liberty Road Volunteer Fire Company- thermal imaging camera
• Long Green Volunteer Fire Company- ladder and hose replacement
• Lutherville Volunteer Fire Company- chest compression cardiac rescue device
• North Point Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department- rescue tools
• Owings Mills Volunteer Fire Company of Baltimore County- development of live-in program
• Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company- fire hose replacement
• Providence Volunteer Fire Company- upgrade of safety equipment
• Reisterstown Volunteer Fire Company- upgrades to PPE
• Rosedale Volunteer Fire Company- rescue stabilization jacks
• Stevenson University- emergency response kits and training
• Torah Institute of Baltimore- First Aid/AED stations
• White Marsh Volunteer Fire Company- hi-visibility safety jackets
• Upperco Volunteer Fire Company- gear washer and dryer

 Carroll County:

• Arch of Carroll County- emergency response and safety equipment
• Pleasant Valley Community Fire Company- automatic reverse braking systems
• Reese and Community Volunteer Fire Company- engine tanker
• Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department- rescue cutoff saws
• Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Co. #1- hydraulic tool
• Winfield Community Volunteer Fire Department- medic unit power stretcher replacement

 Cecil County:

• Community Fire Company of Perryville- fire hose replacement
• Water Witch Fire Company- upgrade portable scene lighting
• William M. Singerly Steam Fire- Swiftwater boat motor

 Frederick County:

• National Fallen Firefighters Foundation- leadership symposium
• Search and Rescue Assist Inc.- Preparing Today for the Emergencies of Tomorrow training

 Harford County:

• Abingdon Fire Company- lighting upgrade
• FBI Baltimore Citizens Academy Alumni Association- safety and wellness resiliency training
• Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company- rural fire operations response upgrades
• Level Volunteer Fire Company- station modifications for standby crews
• Mason-Dixon Search Dogs, Inc.- specialized K9 and handler education
• Susquehanna Hose Company- hose replacement
• Whiteford Volunteer Fire Company- face mask replacement

 Howard County:

• Civil Air Patrol- emergency services training
• Fifth District Volunteer Fire Department- remote operated vehicle
• Howard Ecoworks Inc.- Ellicott City Adopt-A-Drain program
• Howard Hospital Foundation Inc.- communications equipment for security officers
• International Critical Incident Stress Foundation- remote learning critical incident and stress management training
• Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company- Cancer Reduction program and PPE gear dryer
• Maryland Search and Rescue- safety initiative
• Rebuilding Together Howard County- urgent repair program for low income homeowners
• The Howard County Conservancy- emergency communications

 Montgomery County:

• Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department- vertical roof ventilation training
• Mid-Atlantic D.O.G.S.- Search is an Emergency training

 Prince George's County:

• Disaster Aid USA Organization- domestic disaster response
• Kentland Volunteer Fire Department- lighting equipment

• Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad- fire and rescue equipment

For more information on previous grant recipients go to bgenow.com.

In addition to supporting the emergency responder community in Maryland through grants, BGE provides training for fire, police, 911 centers and emergency management organizations who routinely work around utility equipment.  BGE is recognized for its own emergency response record, ranking among the top utilities in the nation for rapid response to gas emergency calls and for preventing damages to energy equipment. 

BGE works within Maryland's communities to address economic development, public safety, civic issues and contributes to strategic initiatives that help enhance our neighborhoods. Through the use of shareholder dollars, BGE supports programs that deliver measurable and sustainable impact in areas of education, environment, community development and arts and culture.

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BGE is Maryland's largest natural gas and electric utility, providing safe and reliable energy delivery to more than 1.3 million electric customers and more than 680,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland. The company was founded in 1816 as the nation's first gas utility and remains headquartered in Baltimore City to this day. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (Nasdaq: EXC), the nation's leading competitive energy provider. Engage with the latest BGE stories on bgenow.com and connect with BGE on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.